Fuel feeding apparatus



Feb. 12, 1935. B, G, PARSONS I 1,990,563

FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1953 W avwemtoz Patented eb. 12,. 1935 I U I ED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS Ben G. Parsons, Detroit, Mich., assignor to United f American Bosch Corporation, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of New York Application January 27, 1933, Serial No. 653,757

3 Claims. (01. 123-138) This invention relates to improvements in ap- Fig. 2 is a top plan of the distributor member paratus for supplying fuel and particularly to thereof; such apparatus designed for internal combustion Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. engines. p 2; and

An object of the invention is to provide a fuel Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the rotor in the 5 supplying apparatus which can be employed distributor. with an internal combustion engine, especially The same numerals identify the same parts of the multi-cylinder type, with the same efiithroughout.

ciency and advantage as if each individual cyl- The trend in design of internal combustion inder or power chamber were equipped with a engines for automotive purposes is for a greater 10 separate carbureting appliance. number of cylinders, higher rotative speeds,

A further object of the invention is to progreater power per unit of displacement and betvide fuel supplying apparatus which is adapted ter flexibility of performance throughout the ento deliver fuel, not to a common intake passage tire range, especially the lower speeds and accell'5 communicating at separate points with the cyleration. To reduce the pumping action and ininders of an internal combustion engine, but at crease the volumetric efficiency, larger air passeparate points, each adjacent to the inlet port Sages for admission have been found absolutely of a power cylinder. Thus equal distribution to necessary.v This reduces the restriction'on the each cylinder of the engine is assured at all incoming air and improves the' performance speeds thereof; although the quantity of fuel throughout the upper ranges; but on account of 20v may vary. the low air velocity for starting, idling and sud- Another object of the invention is to provide den acceleration, the fuel distribution is very fuel supplying apparatus by which a combustipoor and the engine performance is very erratic. ble motive agent can be taken directly from a Therefore, the admission system of the present reservoir, such as the so-called fuel tank of a gasoline multi-cylinder engine using one or even 25 motor vehicle, and delivered directly to an intwo carburetors is at best only a compromise. ternal combustion engine, without requiring the My invention satisfies the requirements of this use of any additional receptacles or pumping desituation without necessitating the expense and vices or in fact any auxiliary means except, complication of mounting a separate carburetor when desired, a distributor to insure the flow of on each cylinder of the engine. For this pur- 80 fuel only to that particular cylinder in which pose I make use of a system of parts and connecthe cycle of operation requires a fresh combustitions, such as are shown in outline in Fig. 1, for ble charge. 4 example. In this view the numeral 1 indicates An additional object of the invention is to an intake conduit having branches.2, one for provide a fuel supplying apparatus which comeach cylinder of the engine and connecting the 35 prises a distributor so formed that it can be intake conduit 1 with the inlet ports of the difactuated from the same part of the engine as the ferent cylinders controlled by valves 3. Whenignition timer thereof, by being merely interever any one of the valves 3 opens air flows posed between the timer shaft and the usual into the power chamber of the cylinder carrying 40 drivingshaft therefor; and thus'not only be opthat valve and draws in with it a supply of fuel 40 erated from said shaft but also enable the timthrough a conduit 4 which projects from the ing shaft to be driven thereby in the usual way. outside through the wall of that particular These and other objects and advantages will branch conduit 2 into the interior thereof and be made clear in the ensuing description and the preferably as near to the valve 3 as is pracnovel-features of the invention are pointed out tical; the inner ends of these conduits forming 4.5 in thelappended claims. The disclosure, how outlet nozzles to discharge the fuel into the ever, is illustrative only and I may make conduits 2. The intake conduit 1 may contain changes in various details without departing one or more damper valves 5 and the fuel comes from the principle of the invention or exceedthrough a pipe or length of tubing 6 which coming the scope and meaning of the broad terms in municates with the conduits 4 at one end and a 50 which the appended claims are expressed. fuel receptacle 7 at the other. This receptacle 7 On the drawing: I I may be the usual fuel tank of an automobile Fig. l is a diagrammatic-view, partly in secor truck. There will of course be as many tion, showing fuel supplying apparatus accordbranch conduits 2 and branch fuel-supply pipes 5 in to my nv n i n; 4 as there are cylinders of the engine. In this instance, for purpose of illustratiomI shall describe my invention in connection with an eight cylinder engine of the so-called V-type comprising two rows of four cylinders each with the axes of the cylinders of the two rows at an angle, and with their pistons connected to a common crank shaft. I prefer to include in the fuel line between the tank 7 and conduits 2 a distributor 8 which so operates that each branch fuel-supply conduit 4 is connected to the conduit 6 only when the valve duit 4 is open; but this distributor is not necessary and good results may be obtained without it.

The reservoir '1 carries on its top a T-shaped fitting 9 which is hollow and closed at one end but with its interior communicating with the tank 7 through an aperture 10. The other end of this fitting receives the pipe or conduit 6 and within this fitting adjacent the entrance to the pipe 6 is a so-called Venturi tube 11. -The middle part of the fitting 9 projects into an opening in the tank '7 and carries a short length of tubing 12 which projects downward into the contents of this tank. At its upper end this pipe communicates with the interior of the fitting and the inside of the Venturi element 11-, through a duct 13 which is placed at substantially the most restricted portion of this Venturi element. Hence whenever suction is applied to the supply line 6, some fuel will be drawn through the duct 13 into the Venturi element along with a certain amount of air through the aperture 10. This product will flow through the supply line 6 and into Upon reaching the conduits 2 it will mix with a larger volume of air entering by way of the intake conduit 1 and be drawn past the valve 3 into the engine. The contents of the supply line 6 drawn from the tank 7 will be air and fuel in proportion suitable for proper or final atomization in the branches 2, as, for example, about four to one; but they will be diluted in the branch conduits 2 to change this ratio to about fourteen to one.

In the line of the conduit 6 is a rotary oneway valve 14 which projects to the outside of this conduit and has a rigid arm 15 so that it can be rotated as desired to restrict or cut off the flow through the fuel line 6. This valve 14 controls both the air and fuel in the conduit 6. Instead of this valve, I may use a similar valve to regulate the fuel passing through the duct 13 into the element 11; or a valve to regulate the air entering the fitting 9; or two such valves mounted to be actuated singly or together as required.

One of the valves 5 may be a choke valve and the other the usual air-controlling valve actuated from a suitable lever on the steering wheel or the foot accelerator of a vehicle. Obviously the device can be used in the same way on a stationary engine. Each of the valves 3 opens at the proper instant, so that air can flow through the conduit 2 associated with whatever valve is lifted and draw a mixture of air and gas through the fuel-supply pipe 4 into the conduit. The mixed air and fuel from the tank 7 is discharged into the conduits 2 at a point very near the valves 3. Hence there is little likelihood that any of the particles of liquid fuel will be deposited on the inside surfaces of the branch conduits 2. The passages through the conduits 1 and 2 are of such area that they offer little, if any, restriction to the flow of air and a full cylinder is very easily obtained at each suction period. The

3 adjacent that particular con- I one or more of the branch conduits 2.

design of the conduit 1 and branch conduits 2 is therefore very simple. At starting, one of the valves 5 is used as an ordinary choke valve and then this choke valve is opened and the other valve is employed to control the amount of air which flows into the main intake conduit 1. Also the rich mixture which comes through the main supply line 6 is controlled by the valve 14 which is connected to the particular valve 5 employed for normal operation of the engine; or this valve 14 might be automatically controlled from the engine so as to respond to any changes in load and torque.

The tank '7 serves the same purpose as the float chamber of an ordinary carburetor. Hence there is no danger of fuel flooding or overflowing into the engine compartment and fire hazards. and other difliculties are obviated. The mixture drawn through the Venturi element 11 is very light and can be conveyed to the inlet valves 3 with a very little vacuum. The ends of the branch fuel-supply pipes 4 inside of the branch conduits 2 are such that the air coming in through the conduit 1 passes them and draws the mixture out of them to form a highly combusible mixture.

The air that enters the Venturi element 11 is preferably all taken from the upper part of the tank '7 and thus risk of getting mixed and contaminated with dust and causing obstruction of the passages is eliminated. The aperture 10, of course, must be properly shielded so that splashing of the fuel will not alter the proper ratio; and the lower end of the tube 12 is likewise to be protected. The aperture 10 may be placed in the top of the fitting 9 to communicate with the outside atmosphere, if desired; and the fitting 9 may be placed elsewhere than on the tank 7.

As already stated one of the valves 5 can be employed as an ordinary choke. An air choke of the conventional design is used for starting and warming up. With this pulled shut or partially so and the throttle open it will throw all of the inlet vacuum on the rich mixture supply and the distributor will automatically connect the cylinder on suction stroke, makingstarting and especially cold weather starting a very simple matter. As it is today when the carburetor is choked for starting, a large quantity of raw gas is injected into the inlet system. With the manifold cold, this does not vaporize easily and before the engine can be started enough fuel enters to wet everything up so much that starting is very diflicult. With my invention it is rendered impossible to draw in such a charge of raw gas, for the ratio is predetermined in the design of the small Venturi element 11, regardless of how much the engine is being choked by the operator. Also by carrying this rich mixture through a small tube into close proximity to the inlet valve that is open, the effect is the same as having a mechanical starting primer. Instead of a single valve 14, separatevalves might be placed in the line of the pipes 4 and connected to be moved in unison.

As thus far described my fuel supplying apparatus can be employed even without the distributor 8 and still give better distribution and all around performance than a multi-cylinder engine having a carburetor common to all of its cylinders; because fuel will be drawn only through the branch conduits 4 when the valves 3 are open. I prefer, however, to include a distributor in the system. This distributor comprises a casing made up of two members 16 with intervening spacing element 17 secured together by fastening devices, such as screws 18. The element 17 encircles ,in the distributor 8 achamber which receives the rotor 19 which is turned by shaft'20. One of the parts 16 has an annular compartment 21 and the rotor 19 has an elongated port 22 which always communicates with this compartment 21 and connects this compartment to the branch fuel-supply conduits 4. This port 22 has the form of an arcuate slot which may be long enough to put only one of the branch pipes 4 into communication with the fuel-supply line 6 or more than one if necessary. With an eight cylinder engine as herein referred to the operation is such that usually one of the inlet valves 3 will open before the other one is closed. Hencethe slot 22 is long enough to put two of the branch pipes 4 into communication with the conduits 6 at once. The part 16 of the distributor which does not contain the compartment 21 has ports 23 in position to be put in communication through the aperture 22 with the compartment 21 and each of these ports leads to a passage 24 in the outer end of which the various supply branch pipes 4 are made fast. The shaft 20 has a key 25 for connection with a drive shaft; and the part 16 containing the compartment 21 has a passage 26 leading to the compartment and serving to connect thereto the main fuel pipe 6. By means of the distributor the supply of fuel is positively cut off to all of the pipes 4 except those which are connected through passages 24 and the port 22 to the annular compartment 21. The accumulation of liquid fuel in any of the conduits 2 which would ordinarily cause erratic and uneven operation of the engine is prevented.

My invention can be constructed so as to be installed to work with any engine and for this purposeI make the distributor 8 of such form that it can be operated in conjunction with the ignition timer thereof. Such timers usually comprise a casing through which projects a shaft similar to the shaft 20 having a transverse rib or key, such as the key 25, to fit the .end of the engine shaft whichdrives it. The end of the timer casing will have practically the same outside shape as the outside face of the part 16 at the right of Fig. 3. Hence I give to the outside face of the other part 18 such a shape that it will receive the end of the timer casing, and the opposite side of the rotor 19 will have a projection 27in line with the short shaft 20, extending through an opening in the middle of said other part 16 and having a transverse groove or recess 28. In other words the outer face of the part 16 at the right of Fig. 3 will have a central projection 29 shown as conical surrounded bya shouldered portion 30; while the outer face of the other part 16 will have a conical recess 31 with an opening to receive the projection 27 and this conical recess will be surrounded by a counter-bored portion 32; so that the outer'face of the part, 18 at the right of Fig. 3 will be of the same form as the outer face of the other part 16 except that one of these faces will be concave and the other convex. This makes it very easy to-install my fuel supply apparatus on any'engine without having to provide a separate drive shaft or any other driving connections therefor. The timer casing can simply bedisconnected and the distributor 8 is inserted between the timer casing and the respondingly shaped part of the engine and the end of the timer casing fits into the other part 16; and when the distributor 8 is not included the end of the timer casing which fits the recess 31 and the counter-bored portion 32 in the distributor 8 will be placed as usualin the recessed part of the engine frame which is ordinarily intended to receive it.

Of course the tank 7 will have the usual small opening so that atmospheric pressure will be maintained on the liquid fuel therein. In practice the air above the liquid fuel in the tank 7 will of course be charged with the fuel to a large extent because the vehicle will agitate the-fuel while running and the air will take up a considerable quantity thereof. Hence the mixture which issues from the branch fuel-supply pipes or nozzles 4 in the branch conduits 2 will be very rich but will be diluted as required by the air flowing in through these conduits 2.

The nozzles 4, instead of delivering into the conduits 2, may lead directly into the cylinders near the valves 3.

Having described my invention, what I claim i 1. Fuel supply apparatus comprising a receptacle containing fuel, an intake conduit leading to an internal combustion engine, a fuel outlet nozzle opening into the conduit, a T-shaped fitting on the top of said receptacle, a Venturi element in said fitting, a tube projecting from said element into said fuel, said fitting having an aperture to connect the interior thereof with the interior of the receptacle above the level of the fuel, and a conduit connecting said fitting to said nozzle. I

2. Fuel supply apparatus comprising a receptacle containing fuel, an intake conduit leading to an internal combustion engine, a fuel outlet nozzle opening into the conduit, a "r-shaped fitting on the top of said receptacle, 8. Venturi element in said fitting, a tube projecting from said element into said fuel, said fitting having an aperture to connect the interior thereof with the interior of the receptacle above the level of the fuel, and a conduit connecting said fitting to said nozzle, said conduit having a controlling valve therein to adjust the flow therethrough.

3. Fuel supply apparatus comprising a receptacle containing fuel, an intake conduit leading to an internal combustion engine, a fuel outlet nozzle, a Venturi element, having one end open, a tube extending from said element into said fuel, and a conduit connecting the other end of said element to said nozzle, said conduit having a controlling valve therein to adjust the fiow therethrough.

BEN G. PARSONS. 

